The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-11-01
GORDON IN OHIO.
A Grand Reception to Ceorgia's
Governor.
HE IGNORES GOVERNOR FORAKER

General John b. Gordon, governor of Georgia,
accompanied by his wife, arrived in the CITY at
S:l5 this morning, over the Cincinnati South
ern railroad, and was met at the depot by ex-
Mayor William Means and Major j. p. Donald
son. The distinguished visitor and his wife
were driven to the Grand hotel, where they
registered simply as 81. b. Gordon and wife,
Ca"
Governor Gordon comes here to begin Sc
ries of campaign speechesn this statein behal
of the democracy. He announces his inten-
ton OF defending the south against the attacks
of Governor Foraker, and the latter has thrown
down the gauntlet by clubbing him akukluxer,
and laying at his feet an array of damaging
charges. The general and his wife, upon their
arrival, retired at once, having been travelling
all night. Their trip north was pleasant one,
and without any unusual incident
HOW THE DAY WAS SPENT.
The guests spent quiet day. enjoying the
sights of the city under the escort of ex-Mayor
Means. There were many callers at the hotel,
and for a time the visitors were SO numerous
that the governors parlors partook of the as
pect OF public reception. Many of the most
prominent citizens of Cincinnati called during
the afternoon, and went away well pleased
with Georgia's spirited governor. In the after
noon the governor was escorted to the High
iaitN ilouSC3 WIitl6 ~ crown, WHICH ulIeu the
large corridors to suffocation, was in waiting to
receive him. General William II. Morgan, of
Mt. Vernon, o., shared the honors Of the even
ing with him.
GOVERNOR GORDON SPOKE
for fully two hours, and delighted his audience.
which numbered fully four thousand people
Governor Gordon's reception amounted to an
ovation, and more enthusiastic audience never
listened to an orator, Governor Gordon en-
tirely ignored Governor Foraker, and devoted
tI,nt ,NCf, Ia, 49, H.. Ill
of the north and south, and the flag question
Nindicating the claim of eX-rebels to 10y
atty, he said:
In the great city Of Augusta, on an occasion
when we had met to do honor to our dead COM
rades about their graves, to cover them with f a.
grant flowers said this pointing to the banner of
my country which hung overhead: Here hangs
above us the nag OF this union Let us honor it as
an emblem of freedom, of equality and of unity
remembering there is not star on its blue field
which is not made brighter by the light reflected
from southern skies; not white line on its folds
but is made whittier and purer by thai south's in.
corruptlble record in Office; not one of its
from southern blood shed i'll its defense in every
war with foreign power
I am not here to talk new doctrines want to say
to you again that before the guns had ceased their
terrific roar at APPROXIMATION, l began this style of
talk, and in the south. In the senate in Boston, in
Charleston, across the Atlantic-everywhere, Ihave
been appealing for peace and unity and concord as
the surest legacy for our children to inherit APP
plause.l
Let me mention another charge tina. has been
used with ione effect, l presume, in this state
sought to be fixed upon the northern mind to win
votes against the south-let us see how much there
is in 1t. The charge is that we OPP the colored
people, and have some tremendous things to say
about that. win you hear me? [Cres of "Yes'
These people were in slavery. How they got there,
1t Is not necessary for me to say tonight. His
tory will tell you 9g, about that We found
as an m @e love those eed to b Ss
Il; We ioye them, and WY fhey were part Of
ton were playmates of my youth. The only fights
that can recall that had In my youth were battles
for insults, as conceived them to be, to my negro
place to lay out in the country there one white
soul, not one. My furniture, my lands, my all, is
in their hands to-day, and has been ever since l
have been governor, and while was in the senate,
i'll the hands of the colored people, who are there
my old servitors. Among then is old "mama"
ninty years of age Upon her bosom slept, seventy
years ago the mother of my wife; later,
generations-thc memories of all lowering around
that dear old foIm Why sir, ii you could have
decrepid old black woman when she was
called to her bedside a few weeks
old "mama" was lying i'll, the strong
tears. They have in their possess,on-those black
poople-all have in the world and feel as abs0-
there watching their every act How comes that?
Did we Cypress them when they were slaves? 1t was
u law as lneXOraDle as the law OF the Modes and
persans, that the man who treated his slaves I'M
Kindly was debarred from decent society. Zap
plause |.
Is that so? Well, letus come TO proof We went
to war some years ago and some of you will rcmem-
Der something about it, We had fight Everybody
knew if the south defeated these slaves would
be made free men and free women They wanted
to be free. Obi yes, there is no doubt about that.
They longed for their freedom. Were they OPP
pressed? Ifthey had been wouldn't they hay struck
for their freedom when they could? The north en-
listed and was justified in doing 1t, o few regi-
ments of blacks to fight against us. In the old
south, if we had proclaimed their freedom at the
of that war; we could have enlisted every
one Of them, to q man, in our defense. [Applausel